


for you (there's nothing in this world i wouldn't do)

by TheRagingThespian



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-10
Updated: 2016-10-10
Packaged: 2018-08-20 13:50:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8251411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRagingThespian/pseuds/TheRagingThespian
Summary: Alex loves Kara and Lucy. She does.She just can’t stand them when they’re in the same room together.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I take prompts. Let's talk about superlane. theragingthespian.tumblr.com
> 
> title from avicii's hey brother

Kara is a horrible liar.

Everyone knows this. Family, friends, the guy who always delivers their pizza.

(When Kara jokes that she’s an alien to the waitress at Noonan’s constantly, she always stops. Confusion clear on her face, because Kara doesn’t laugh or stutter like she usually does whenever Kara tells something that’s clearly untrue.

Kara thinks it’s funny.

Alex thinks Kara purposely makes her job harder.)

Lying. Misleading. Omitting. Anything that could not be considered the exact truth makes her sister a babbling mess.

(She suggests to J’onn that they put Kara through some training, so she wouldn’t be so damn bad at it.

He knocks it though, because if Kara suddenly had the capability of lying, they’d never find out exactly who raids the DEO fridge.)

It comes as a huge surprise when she finds out Kara’s hidden something from her.

* * *

Alex raps her knuckles against Winn’s desk, eyes searching around. “Where’s Kara?” Her sister’s office had been empty, and there’s still a new, trembling assistant in front of Cat’s office, so Kara shouldn’t be doing her old job on top of her new one.

Winn clicks his mouse repeatedly, waves his hand, “Gotcha! Oh, she uh- _no, no, not that way_ \- she went with Lucy to lunch.”

Alex forces a breath through her nose, shoves her hands into her pockets. “She didn’t mention that to me.”

(It’s not quite odd. Kara has plenty of friends, but usually, she’d tell her something like that.

Especially when Alex had said they could eat lunch together the night before.

What _was_ odd was when Kara had nodded her head absentmindedly, looking down at her phone while smiling.)

Winn looks at her sideways, “They do it all the time.”

Alex keeps her face neutral, fights the surprise reeling in her chest.

(Kara doesn’t _not_ talk about people, about her day.

When Kara first made friends at college, she got a call daily in which Kara shared every little detail of that person’s life.

Which, for the record, is a _ton_ when the person retelling it is a Kryptonian with a nearly perfect memory.)

She mumbles her thanks, walks past the security that always lets her in without an ID. Wonders if Kara sweet talked her way into that.

Being in the center of the city, the center of all the commotion, outside of CatCo is a mass of swarming people and bumper to bumper cars.

And she can still pick Kara out in a crowd with her too bright yellow cardigan and equally bright laughter. Her pace slow, steps long and balanced as Lucy easily keeps in step at her side.

(There’s an easiness to Kara’s motions.

The relaxed way her shoulders hang, a calmness she doesn’t see outside of Kara’s apartment.

Alex smiles at the sight of it.)

Kara smiles down at Lucy, and Alex is backpedaling at the softness of it. Breathes, “Son of a bitch,” when Lucy returns it just as fully.

All she can think of are easy smiles and sticky buns and Kara crying when she realizes it won’t work out. She squints, because Lucy’s jacket is hanging off of her in a funny sort of way, and it sort of looks like- _is that Kara’s coat?_ Her heart speeds up, and-

Kara’s head snaps up, and Alex ducks her head, forces herself to breathe evenly, tries to blend into the crowd. Slips into a coffee shop when Kara’s still examining the crowd and stands as close as she can to the blender despite the looks from the workers.

(Kara winces every time one goes off when she’s not prepared, hopes it will keep her sister from seeking out a heartbeat that Alex knows Kara searches for without meaning to.)

Alex breathes slowly, wonders what the hell she just saw.

(Feels like she _knows_.)

* * *

Alex holds her tongue.

It is hard, oh, it’s _so_ hard, because Kara’s just happily humming into her takeout container, and it’d be so easy to ask.

(She’s hesitant though, because if she’s wrong, Kara will overthink all her interactions, and Kara overthinking means no one would be safe. Kara overthinking means broken chairs and chipped doors and her wallet suddenly feeling a little lighter as she tries to pitch in for making Kara nervous in the first place.)

“Kara?”

“Yes!”

Alex jerks back, follows Kara’s gaze to her own food and pulls it close to her chest, “I wasn’t offering food, loser. You still have some.”

“So after?”

“No.” Alex clicks her chopsticks together, taps at the container. “If you,” decides that’s not right, “What’d you do for lunch today?”

Kara shrugs, upending the box over her mouth and hitting the sides. “Just went with Lucy.”

(Alex watches for anything, some reaction to when Kara says Lucy.

There’s nothing that gives her away. No nervous glances, a carefully worded answer. Nothing.)

“I thought that we were going to lunch,” Alex tips her head, “It was fine though, for once I didn’t have to share with an alien who was leering at my food the entire time.”

“I don’t _leer_ , and no, we weren’t. We never planned-” Kara stops, mouth dropping open as she covers it with her hands, “I am so _sorry_. I didn’t really hear you. I mean, I did, but- it didn’t register. I was reading a text. I am so- We can tomorrow, promise.”

Alex leans back into the couch, presses her foot against Kara’s jerking knee, “You’re fine. Breathe.” Alex waits until Kara’s looking at her, repeats herself until Kara’s nodding with her.

Kara’s eyes light up, and Alex winces, because she knows that look. “You were there, weren’t you?”

“I may have stopped by.”

Kara drops her food, “I’m sorry. You came all the way out, and I- I’m sorry.” Kara tilts her head, “What happened?”

“What do you mean?”

Kara taps a finger, “You’re usually like this.” Her finger speeds up, “It went faster, like when you’re scared.”

“I took the stairs, must’ve been that.”

“But that’s not how it sounds-”

“-Who’s able to distract you from your caring sister with just a text?” Kara scoffs, rolls her eyes, so Alex shuffles up in her seat, “No, for real.”

Kara runs a hand through her hair, sighs, “It was Lucy asking to go to lunch.”

Alex gasps, places a hand over her heart. “You were making lunch plans while I was trying to? Two timer.”

Kara crinkles up her nose, “Ew.”

“So ignoring your sister. Winn says you guys eat lunch a lot. Anything you should be telling me?”

“No?” Kara blinks, and oh, she’s truly confused. Kara throws herself across the couch, elbows pressing into her sides as Kara flops around to get comfy. “If you’re that mad about the lunch thing, I’ll pay tomorrow.”

“No, you won’t.”

“Nope,” Kara agrees, laughing when she wiggles her fingers against Kara’s side, “Just thought it’d make you feel better.”

Kara’s breaths are soft against her neck, lengthening as her body slackens. Alex closes her eyes, whispers, “Are you sure there’s nothing you want to talk about?”

“No,” Kara mumbles.

Alex groans and tosses her head back, because that can mean only two things.

(Kara is _lying_. Alex almost rules it out immediately, because the sentence is so abnormal in her mind. It’s not even the lying, because Kara does it everyday when she keeps her feet on the ground, acts as if she can’t pick up a few boxes.

It’s that Kara is lying _successfully_.

Or.

Kara _doesn’t realize_.)

* * *

“I need your help.”

Alex drops a stack of files, waits for J’onn to look up.

He does so, but it’s only after making her wait at least five minutes. She taps her foot the entire time, knows it aggravates him.

“What’s all this?”

J’onn flicks the top folder open, sees grainy photos of Kara and Lucy. He grimaces, pushes it away with a raised eyebrow.

“They have eaten lunch together for twenty-one _consecutive_ days. You know how many times she’s told me about it?”

“Everyday?”

“ _None_.” There’s a frown forming between J’onn’s eyes, “I know, right?” Alex spins the folders to her, picks a few and sets them in front of J’onn, “These are Lucy coming and going from Kara’s apartment. Fifteen times within the past month.”

“Alex, this is a little much.”

“I know, I can’t believe she hasn’t told me.”

J’onn stares at her. “I meant the photos.” J’onn’s forehead scrunches up, “How did you get these exactly?”

“Kara’s landlord gave me the video footage when I showed her my badge.”

“You don’t have a badge.”

“I do now.”

J’onn shakes his head, purses his lips.

“Are these Lane’s _medical records_?”

“. . .No.”

(J’onn refuses to read Lucy’s mind, but the next time Kara comes bounding into the DEO, J’onn starts coughing into his hand, looks away. Alex’s breath rushes from her lungs when she dares to think he looks embarrassed. She corners him later and gets him to reluctantly admit Lucy projected quite a bit.

Warmth. _Affection_.

Alex pretends it bothers her, but she can’t ignore the way they easily walk side by side, heads dipped towards each other.)

* * *

” _A_ _lex?_ ”

Kara’s voice is soft, and she loves her, it’s always there, a solid, comforting weight in her chest, but it’s three in the morning. “Kara, what’s wrong?”

“ _I'm_ _sorry. You were asleep._ ”

She hears the sound of paper being smoothed out, a clink of glass. “No, I wasn’t. I was,” she sits up, feels the covers pool in her lap, “Why are you up?”

“ _Green or blue?_ ”

“Kara, I don’t-green.” Alex waits until she hears the smooth sounds of brushstrokes, waits for Kara to get rhythm going. “Kara,” she says gently, tries not to urge too much, knows how cautious she has to be.

(Calls in the middle of the night are unusual. Are _pained_.

Are of Krypton and mothers and fathers and aunts that Alex can swear the blood is still under her nails. Checks every time Kara gets that lost look on her face, turning to someone who isn’t there.)

“ _I think_ ,” Kara’s breath stutters, pitters out until there’s that whoosh of air as Kara sucks in a breath, “ _I_ _think I do need to tell you something_.”

Alex rubs her palms together, thinks of Kara and Lucy at CatCo, at the DEO, at the apartment laughing and smiling and gravitating towards each other in a way Alex has never seen. “You don’t have to.”

There’s a pause, no sounds of movement coming from the line until there’s a laugh that sounds a little wet, “ _You knew_.”

“I suspected.”

“ _You knew_ ,” Kara repeats again, not buying her deflection.

“I knew,” she admits.

“ _I didn’t- I didn’t_ ,” Kara settles on it, lets it linger for a beat, “ _She fell asleep on my- on my shoulder, and I didn’t want to move, Alex. And I thought, I’d stay still for as long as she needed, and then I thought that was sorta weird._ ” The brushstrokes are frantic now, uneven and heavy sounding as the bristles scratch against the paper. “ _But she’s there. Every day. We talk constantly Alex, and I- I don’t know when that happened, but when I think about my life, she’s just- just_ there _, y’know_?”

“That’s good though, right?”

“ _Yeah_ ,” Kara hums, a deep, low sound that has Alex wondering what music was like on Krypton, “ _I think- yes, it’s good, but that’s another person that could be- that I can. ._ “

Kara doesn’t speak for several minutes, and Alex leans back against the headboard, closing her eyes as Kara’s breath steadies out, “That you can what, Kara?”

“ _Lose_ ,” Kara chokes out.

Her lungs constrict. “ _Kara_ ,” but she can’t think, because Kara’s crying, her breaths short and choppy even though she can tell Kara is trying to be quiet, “Do you- do you remember what I told you?”

“ _When?_ ”

“With the Black Mercy, when I-”

(When she went inside Kara’s mind, saw her dream, crushed it.)

“- _I can’t remember much from it. It’s all blurry,”_ Kara’s voice cracks, “ _It’s hard to tell, sometimes, what was real and what wasn’t_.”

Her breath catches in her chest, creates a knot that she can’t swallow past.

(She tries and she tries and god, _she tries_. To be a good sister. To protect Kara. There are times when trying isn’t enough, and Kara pays the price. She knows her sister has been through things she couldn’t prevent, couldn’t keep the hurt away from Kara.

She lost a whole _world_. Witnessed just enough that Kara strays away from orange whenever she paints, never of fire or setting suns. Never enough to know exactly what happened, mind always filling in the blanks, creating ways in which her family took their last breaths.

Kara has seen innocents die. Kara sidesteps outside of CatCo, eyes staring at a particular spot every time, and it’s James who tells her that Kara couldn’t save everyone during Myriad.

Kara knows life isn’t fair. Knew it when she stared up at her cousin after twenty four years of neverending sleep punctured by isolation. Knew it when her uncle stood over her with nothing but a sneer on his face.

Never did she think her sister would have to question what was _real_.

She wonders if Kara ever thought Astra’s death wasn’t real.)

“Pain is a part of life,” she suddenly feels condescending, because of course, Kara _knows_ , “it makes us who we are.” Alex looks towards the picture of them smiling on her nightstand, “but it’s got it’s amazing parts too, so don’t let- don’t stop yourself from doing something, because you’re. . “

“ _Afraid_.”

“Kara, everything that you’ve been through-”

(She thinks of a cheerful girl chasing after the birds. Bringing home her first A. Cheering her on from the bleachers.

Thinks of report after report of a mysterious person performing rescues only to disappear into the night. In Midvale. In National City. In Metropolis. All coinciding with times Kara never answered her phone or wasn't home or Superman was reportedly off in space, said she was _busy_.

Thinks of the calls everyday after she leaves for college when the amount of homesickness surprises her. Of pictures she receives that are all her mother staring at the camera with a surprised look on her face. Appearing at her apartment with a crooked smile and a gift bag.

Thinks of her sister flying around the city with a smile Alex never thought she’d see again. Pushing Fort Rozz into space with an acceptance that terrifies her.

Thinks that despite what she’s been through, Kara has never let it stop her from being the most wonderful person.)

“-It’s what makes you a hero.”

* * *

“This one _or_ this one?”

Alex looks up, points immediately to the sweater. “Whenever you wear collared shirts,” Alex twists up her mouth, wrinkles her nose at the thought, “She always messes with it.”

Kara bites her lip, holding out the two shirts before hanging up the sweater. “Collared shirt it is.”

“Are you serious?” Alex presses her face into the mattress, “Why’d you call me over here if you're not even going to listen?”

“Because,” Kara falls onto the bed hard enough to pop her up slightly, “I wanted my sister's advice on my first date.”

Alex curls a hand over Kara's shoulders, “It'll be fine. You guys already had a date anyway.”

“It wasn't _official_ official. This one is planned.”

“I thought this kind of stuff was supposed to be spontaneous or something.”

Kara shoves at her shoulder. “Shut up.”

(When Kara leaves, it's with a nervous giddiness. She clips the wall twice as she's trying to leave, makes Alex promise to stay for when she gets back.

It's not needed.

Alex would've stayed either way.)

* * *

The lock turns, and Kara's slipping through, resting against the door as she closes it. Presses shaking fingers over her face, splays them out when her smile is too wide.

“Hey, how'd it go?”

“It was- it was,” Kara strides over to the fridge, rummaging around before pulling out two containers of ice cream, “Oh, it was _great_.”

Alex watches as Kara's head bobs up and down, knows her sister's feet are barely touching the floor if that. “What you guys do?”

“She took me to an art museum.”

“That sounds fun,” Alex mumbles sarcastically.

Kara pops the spoon on her head, “hush.” Kara hands over the cartoon, “It was, Alex. It was nice and fun and-” Kara's breath catches as she drops her head on the back of the couch.

Alex scrapes her spoon around, clicking her tongue when she sees Kara gave her the ice cream that's almost out. “You kiss her?”

Kara chokes. Slams a hand on her chest as Alex watches unaffected, because really, her sister won't choke so this is just all good fun.

When she remembers how to breathe, Kara turns her nose up, replies cooly, “Maybe.”

Alex hums, holds out her ice cream to swap, and Kara gasps when she finds it empty. “You happy?”

Kara pauses, nods so deeply that her chin touches her chest. “Yeah.”

(And really, that's all she can ask for.

That someone make Kara happy and carefree and a little less sad in those quiet moments.

Alex stops, thinks maybe Lucy already does that.)

* * *

Alex knocks on Kara’s door, waiting a beat before fishing for her keys. Kara is always, _always_ late for the movies.

(She blames it on being Supergirl every time, says she had something to take care of, but Alex knows she’s lying. Badly, of course.

Kara has the same sense of time as a toddler.

It doesn’t exist.)

Alex swings the door wide open, “We missed the last showing, because of you. I hope you had a good reason, but I rented a few DVDs for you to choose from.” Alex walks to the kitchen, shoving drinks in Kara’s otherwise empty fridge. “Kara?”

Alex turns back around, freezes when Lucy’s staring at her, head peeking up over the back of the couch. “Hey, where’s Kara?”

“Um,” Lucy looks down for a second before looking back at her.

Alex stares right back. Lucy’s hair is a mess, lipstick smeared, and she’s a little red, “Are you sick or something? Fall asleep on the couch?”

Kara’s head pops up beside Lucy, glasses askew and hair falling around her shoulder. She sees smears of pink and realizes where Lucy’s lipstick went. Kara holds up a hand, “Wait, before you-”

Lucy reaches up to fix Kara's glasses, hands lingering after straightening her collar and they're just _looking at each other_. With silly little grins, and Alex is pretty sure Kara forgot she's even there.

Alex turns around, walking out.

“No. Nope. Outta here.”

* * *

”Alex, sit down.”

“No.”

Lucy raises an eyebrow, and Alex makes a face right back. “Are you really going to stand all night?”

“I’m not touching anything,” Alex looks down at the floor, picks up a foot. Winces.

Lucy touches her temple, “We were _kissing_.”

“We do it all the time,” Kara says around a mouthful full of pizza. Lucy gives her a look, and Alex isn't sure if it's from the comment or out of disgust but Kara backpedals. “Don't. We _don't_ kiss all the time. I've-I've never even kissed Lucy.”

“ _Kara_.”

Kara nods to Lucy, turns to nod to her, “Right.” Shoves another bite of pizza into her mouth.

“You two are gross.” She sits down lightly on the edge of the couch, tries to knock off Kara's arms as they reach around her

“I love you too,” Kara sings, pressing a quick kiss on her cheek.

“Get off. Don't kiss me after kissing your girlfriend.”

“Oh really?” Alex grunts when she's tackled into the couch, Kara's arms wrapped tightly around her as Kara kisses her forehead.

Alex shoves at her shoulders, jerks up her knee, but it doesn't work because Kara's still laughing quietly above her. She can barely see Lucy smirking over Kara's shoulders. “Stop it. I just watched you eat two whole pizzas, and you smell like it. Go on somewhere.”

Kara stops, blue eyes wide, and she pouts. “I do not.” She whips her head towards Lucy, “Do I?”

Lucy grimaces, scratches her cheek as she looks off to the side. Alex laughs, “See? Even Lucy doesn't want you kissing her.”

Kara's mouth quirks upward, and then Lucy's taking steps back, “Kara, wait-”

Lucy takes off running. Alex blinks, and Kara's gone. Lucy's panicked giggling, and Kara's victorious laughter ringing through the apartment.

Alex closes her eyes. Decides maybe they're not so bad.

(It gets quiet. A little too quiet, and she throws a pillow into the room, yells for them to quit whatever they're doing.

They both come back with red faces and secret smiles.

Alex takes back anything she thought before. They're gross.)

* * *

A finger prods her side.

“Stop.” She hears an intake of air, “No, Kara. I have no idea what you can do.”

Kara rolls her eyes, and _well_ , that's a little more dramatic than usual. “You're not even _trying.”_

“It's not my anniversary.”

“Six months, Alex! I should be able to come up with something, _something_ ,” Kara insists.

“Well whatever you do, you shouldn't be spending it here.”

Kara's eyes brighten, “You're saying we should go on a trip?”

“What? That's not-”

“That's a great idea! Lucy's been wanting to do something.” Kara leans over, pulls her into a fierce hug “Thank you.”

“I didn't-”

“I'm gonna go tell Lucy!”

Alex sits there, mouth agape.

(It's a pain planning for so many days without one of their best agents and Supergirl.

When Kara and Lucy both ask for some time off, Alex tries to stifle her laughter when J'onn, oh he _melts_ , tells them how ever long they need.

J'onn says she's not better when she helps them pack up the car, sends them off with a wave and a promise to call if she needs anything.

There are so many things that can go wrong in their lives. But while she's waving her sister and her friend off as they hook their fingers together that just, just fit so well together?

There's no emptiness in her chest, it's filled with warmth that Kara's brought into her life. With the people that Kara's pulled unknowingly into her life as well.

And everything feels okay.)

* * *

“Come on guys, help.” Kara toes at the end of the couch, moves it several feet back. “How about here?”

Lucy crosses her arms, waves her hands. “I mean, what are you going for?”

Alex drops her head on her arms as she watches them from the counter, wants to tell Lucy that Kara has no idea what she's going for.

(Kara rearranges her furniture constantly. Shoving it here and there.

Usually, it all ends up in the same place.

Alex quietly holds up a twenty while flapping it at Lucy, bets it'll end up like that again.

Lucy nods.

Alex thinks she's buying dinner tonight.)

“Where do you want it?” Kara rubs at her wrist, fingers jumping wildly across the back of her hand. “You do live here too.”

Lucy bites her lip, smiles a little wider than Alex is used to. Decides to drop her head on the counter before she sees them look stupidly at each other.

(It's not stupid. Kara loves it. Sighs happily about it every movie night when it's just the two of them. Talks about how nice it is to wake up next to Lucy everyday now.

Alex can't help pulling her close, settling her chin on Kara's head, because her little sister is growing up and saving the day and is in love.

She knows Kara thinks it wasn't meant for her.  _This_.

But oh, she thanks whatever she can, because Kara? Kara deserves it all.)

“Okay, how about over there?” Kara shoves it over, drags the table back when she hooks her foot around the leg of it. Lucy tilts her head, hums. “No, nevermind.”

Alex squints her eyes as Lucy suggests several places. Places that are always across the room from the last place, making Kara lift the couch over the rugs and table.

When Lucy hums appreciatively again but directs Kara to a different place, Alex follows her gaze. Slaps her palms against the counter before throwing a water bottle at Lucy's head, because if Lucy could stop checking out her sister's arms that'd be great.

Lucy rubs at the back of the head, shoots her a questioning look while Kara's still contemplating the furniture position.

She points at Kara, mouths stop. Lucy wiggles her eyebrows. Alex grits her teeth.

Kara looks up unknowingly, stares at the both of them. “What's going on?”

“ _Nothing_.”

“That shirt looks nice on you.”

Kara flushes, picks at the edge of her shirt. “Oh? This- it just- I just-”

“Why not try over there, Kara,” she interrupts. Wishes she hadn't when Kara has a little happy swagger to her walk as she picks up the furniture in entirely needless ways when Alex knows she could just push it.

Lucy gives her a sly grin when she flicks her off.

(Alex wins the bet.

Lucy doesn't seem to care.)

* * *

Alex jerks awake when her phone starts emitting a high pitched beep, swipes it off angrily.

It starts again seconds later.

She huffs, throws herself around on the bed for a second, because really, the first night she goes to sleep at a regular time with no obligations in the morning, and she's getting calls at midnight.

(It's not Kara. She knows that much. Kara has a special ringtone that her sister insisted on.

When Kara calls her while she’s at the DEO, Alex has to frantically find her phone and silence it before it starts belting _we are family_.)

“ _What_?”

“Alex? It's-it's Kara.”

Alex is already out of bed, shrugging on a jacket, because Lucy? Lucy doesn't stutter, she doesn't speak with a quiet voice that sounds so fragile it just might break. “What's wrong?”

“I don't- she won't speak, and she's covering her ears.” Alex's heart stalls in her chest when she thinks she's never heard Lucy that panicked before. “ _I'm sorry, I'm sorry_.”

Alex yanks open her drawer, snatches the pair of headphones and is spinning around when she rethinks, grabs a pair of glasses just in case. “Try and be quiet. Just stay there with her, okay?”

“Okay.”

Alex hits her head, mutters, “stupid, stupid” as she speeds to Kara's. Hates herself for not mentioning to Kara about the solar storm even though she set alarms on her phone. Hates herself for thinking it wouldn't affect her sister.

(Kara usually just has an extra hop to her steps, a little restless energy when the sun fluctuates.

But she knows, she _knows_ when Kara's tired or frustrated that just a small upward tick of her powers can be overwhelming. Remembers her wrapped in a tight ball on the bed, remembers not knowing what to do and getting her mother.

Remembers crying and shaking and Kara's breath catching in her lungs long enough to make Alex's throat itch with worry.)

Hates herself when she sees Kara's shaking form under a mess of covers, Lucy perched hesitantly on the end of the bed.

Alex presses the headphones into Lucy's limp hands. “See if you can get her to put these on.” Alex looks around, “Does she have her glasses on?” Lucy shakes her head, points to where a crumbled mess remains. Alex hands over the glasses, “These too then. I'll be right back, okay. Okay? Lucy?”

Lucy nods her head, more of a jerk than the smooth motion she's used to seeing at work. Alex taps her foot, stops when the mass in the middle of the bed cringes. Reaches over to awkwardly pat at Lucy's leg instead, “It's okay.” She pulls back, heads for Kara's closet where she hopes she's kept the blankets. When she finds them, she sighs, grunts when she hefts them into her arms.

(She remembers her father bringing one home. And another. And another until Kara stopped shaking, the weight allowing her to feel grounded in a way that her powers didn’t.)

Alex steps out, sees Lucy slowing passing the headphones and glasses to an outstretched hand. “Hey Kara, you don't have to do anything, okay? I'm just going to lay these on you. That's it.”

Kara doesn't say anything, not that she expected her to, when she drapes the blankets over her. Smoothing out the edges before slowly sitting on the bed and stretching out her legs, so she's here if Kara wants her, needs her. Lucy settles in beside Kara's other side, taking measured breaths.

It's silent. The night filled with only their quiet breathing until there's a small shuffle, Kara's weight bracing along the side of her leg.

A trembling hand snakes it's way out, palms facing upwards as it brushes against Lucy's. Her breath hitches when she thinks Lucy's going to grab Kara's hand, but instead, Lucy slips her palm underneath it, allows Kara's hand to remain outstretched.

They stay that way until Lucy's head is drooping, snapping up only to drop to her chest again. Until she's sweaty from the heat Kara's putting off, and she doesn't understand how Lucy puts up with it every night. Until Kara's body loosens, the tension slipping away from her shoulders. Her deep breaths muffled through so many blankets.

When Alex gets up, she hears the soft footsteps of Lucy behind her, following her out of the bedroom and to the couch.

“She's okay,” she starts quietly, trying to ease the worry that tightens the lines around Lucy's mouth, has her fingers twisting in a way that makes her think of Kara, “She usually sleeps through the night afterwards.”

“I didn't know what to do.”

Alex snaps her head up. Lucy's clasping her hands together, nails digging into the skin in the spaces between her knuckles. “I woke up when she broke her glasses. She was-she was crying, and it sounded like she couldn't _breathe_ and I _didn't know what to do_.”

“Hey, hey.” Alex bumps her knee against Lucy's, wishes Kara was awake because she can make Lucy smile like no other without even trying. “It's fine. You called me, you handled it.” Alex points to her hands. “You didn't grab her or push her. You were _there_ for Kara, and Lucy,” Alex ducks her head down to meet Lucy's eyes, thinks of what Kara would say to make everything okay again, “ _Lucy_ , that's all Kara ever needs from you.”

“I still didn't know what to do. You did.”

“It happens. You learn what to do. I've had my years.” Alex looks at Lucy, “You will too.”

Lucy's mouth drops open, and Alex puffs out a breath of air, because really, Lucy still always looks so surprised when someone says something like that. Drags her into a one armed hug that doesn't feel as forced as she thought it would as Lucy leans over easily.

(She thinks of Kara falling into arms as soon as she trusted herself more. Always willing to receive anything resembling affection. Finally reveling in the acts herself. Grabbing hands and wrapping around shoulders, holding them so tight as if she could pass her feelings to the other person.

She forgets that for all the affection Kara soaks up, Lucy does as well.

That every time Kara reaches out, Lucy's already halfway there. Hands always just from touching until Kara will lean into it or smile and Lucy's hand acts without a thought. Lucy seeking out hugs from James or Winn without realizing it until her eyes get wide, and she pulls away looking at the ground.

J'onn always shakes his head, keeps his around her even when she's trying to scramble away.

She's smiling every time she manages to get away though.

It hurts a little to think that, that Lucy didn't get everything she needed. That she wasn't appreciated when there are so many who would. So many that are lucky to have her in their lives. Alex considers herself pretty lucky when she thinks of Kara and J'onn and Lucy and all the other people who are so integral to her life. She closes her fingers a little tighter around Lucy's shoulder.)

* * *

Alex scratches her nose, eyes slowly opening to meet two blue eyes.

Alex jerks back, drawing in a quick breath, but Kara's hand closes over her mouth before she can shout.

“Sorry. Your heart was awake. I wasn't sure if you were though.”

(Kara has said that ever since she came here.

It almost gave her a heart attack the first few times she woke up with Kara inches from her face, saying something about her heartbeat speeding up to its normal pace once she wakes up.

She pretends she's used to it by now, so that Kara won't laugh about scaring her.)

“You're fine. Are you,” Alex sees a little tremble in Kara's frame, the tiredness around her eyes and tugs Kara's jacket a little firmer over her shoulders, “You okay?”

Kara quirks her lips. “I'm okay.” She leans back on her place on the table, pulls a bag from behind her, and oh, suddenly at the sight of donuts and coffee, her neck doesn't feel so stiff. Kara holds it out hesitantly to her, and Alex steers her hand to drop them back on the table before pulling Kara close, tucking her head under hers.

“I'm sorry. I don't know what happened. I think I was having a nightmare, and then it just- just _whoosh_.”

“The sun is acting up too.” Alex rubs a hand against her back. “You want to talk about it?”

Kara shakes her head, presses tighter into her neck. “Thank you.”

“Nothing to thank me for.” Alex raises an eyebrow, “Now for that wonderful coffee I smell? Thank _you_.”

Kara laughs, and Alex feels her chest finally loosen at the sound. “Yeah, yeah. Have your drug.” Kara tosses the bag into her lap before sliding to the other end of the table to lightly rub at Lucy's knee.

Lucy's knee twitches as she grumbles, and then Kara's wriggling her fingers to the back of Lucy's knee. Moves easily away when a foot kicks out and smiles when laughter bubbles out of Lucy's chest.

Lucy skims her knuckles across Kara's cheek. “Hey.”

When Lucy's hand slips down to cup Kara's face, she smiles into it. “Hey.”

Alex gags.

(Gags a little more when Kara leans up to press a kiss against Lucy's hair.)

* * *

 “Lucy? Lucy, oh god.” Alex drops to her knees, prioritizing injuries as she moves, but it’s hard because there’s so much blood.

(Head wounds bleed a lot, she remind herself.

It’s not as easy to think when it’s on her hands. Stains the ends of her sleeves.)

“You never listen,” she snarls, glad when green eyes widen fractionally, because she needs to stay awake.

“I just was,” Lucy closes her eyes as she grimaces, and Alex pats at her face frantically to keep her talking, “I just was making sure there was no one in there.”

“Was that before or after I said the bomb was about to go off?”

Lucy tilts her head from side to side, “Yes.”

“You’re not funny.”

“That’s not what your sister says.”

“Are you really doing that right now?” Lucy gives her a little grin, but she’s not falling for it. Her heart’s beating hard in her chest, more painful with every thud.

(Because she heard Lucy’s choked breath when the bomb went off. Right in her ear as if she was right beside her.

For a moment, she had thought.

Had thought that was it.)

“Kara can’t,” her breath is stolen away at the thought, “Kara can’t lose anyone else.”

(Kara had asked that they keep each other safe.

She can’t, _she can’t, she can’t_ be another reason Kara loses someone she loves. Not when she told her to go for it. Not when she promised, yes, of course she’d look out for Lucy.

Not when she took the last chance away from her.)

“Wait-”

Alex grips Lucy’s chin, “You can’t do something stupid like this, okay?”

(Kara couldn’t take it. None of them could take it.

She couldn’t take it.

Because she’s gotten used to Lucy’s presence on movie and game nights. Used to someone else being dragged along with her on Kara’s crazy schemes. Used to someone outdrinking her and looking no worse for wear after doing so.

Because Lucy’s her best friend, and she really doesn’t know what she’d do without her.)

Lucy leans forward, eyes glassy as she squints. “Are you crying Danvers?”

Alex touches her face, stares at the moisture on the tips of her fingers before scoffing. “You’re bleeding everywhere, and you point out something stupid like that?”

Lucy rolls back her head, closes her eyes and grunts when she shoves her fingers in Lucy’s face. “You’re stupid.”

It’s slurred and slow and nowhere near Lucy’s normal level of wit. “Oh, now I see what Kara means when she talks about how smart you are.”

It’s meant as an insult.

Lucy smiles like an idiot. “She says I’m smart?”

Alex looks up to the sky, questions where J’onn is, because she knows Kara’s out chasing who did this. Knows she’d already be here if she knew what happened. “I’m sure she’s told you before.”

“Yeah,” Lucy agrees, “I didn’t know she said it to other people though.”

Lucy’s focusing, green eyes a little more present than they were before. “To anyone who’ll listen,” Alex confides, whispers as if it’s a secret when really, everyone knows, “all the time.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

(Lucy smiles the entire time they wait for J’onn, asking every so often what else Kara says. Smiles when J’onn scoops her up.

Smiles when she wakes up and both Kara and her are there. Kara’s crying, definitely. Worrying the entire time even though they knew Lucy would be fine.

She was most definitely not, _certainly not crying_.)

* * *

 ”Have you seen Kara?”

Alex stops what she's reading on the monitors, looks down at Lucy. “No?”

Lucy's mouth is set into a thin line, fingers pressing hard into her elbow. “She was gone when I woke up. She's not at work, and I haven't seen anything on the news about Supergirl.”

Alex frowns at the displays. “She's not in her office or not at work?”

“Not a work,” Lucy repeats, “I know she said she runs around a lot now, but they said she hasn't checked in today at all. Took the day.”

“That's- that's weird.”

(She feels panic start to work it's way up her throat. What if’s flooding into her mind, because yes, her sister is almost invulnerable, but it's that _almost_ that has fear clawing at her heart. Sending it pumping through all her veins.)

Lucy gives her a look that says _no shit_.

She forces herself to breathe. “Let me check a few places, okay?”

“I'm sure it's nothing.”

“Yeah, nothing.”

(She's not sure who's convincing who.)

* * *

She finds Kara with the AI.

(It still feels wrong to press her palm against the sensor and have it open.

Felt wrong to find Kara prying off the panel and messing with the wires until grabbing her hand and pressing it against the smooth surface.

Felt wrong when Kara said if something happened to her, someone needed to know of Krypton.

Felt wrong when she felt like she couldn't grip Kara hard enough, when it felt like Kara would fly into space again and this time her sister wouldn't come back.)

“Kara?”

Kara's on the floor, notebooks scattered all around her. Alex peers over her, sees a mess of English and Kryptonian and- and Spanish? Finally figures out what's what and then Kara's snapping it shut.

“What's up?” Kara's voice is high and false and she's _worried_.

Alex smooths her hands down, drops down beside Kara. “Nothing. Lucy's looking for you, and then I realized you hadn't came and bothered me for food yet.”

“Just,” Kara shoves up her glasses, and Alex has to stop and think what a weird image it makes to see Supergirl with glasses on. Has to stop and wonder why Kara feels like she needs their weight on the bridge of her nose, dulling her powers just so. “Just busy.”

Alex bumps their shoulders together. “Yeah, I know Ms.Editor in Chief.”

Kara smiles despite herself, and Alex feels a race of pride run through her.

(Kara feels she doesn't deserve it. Even after years of working under Cat, even more as an editor.

Alex knows she deserves it more than anyone. So does Lucy. Apparently, so does Cat.

She thinks Kara knows it too from that breathless little smile she gets every time one of them congratulates her.)

“But what's really up?”

Kara worries a lip between her teeth, drags a finger down the metal spirals on the notebook. “How,” Kara swallows thickly, does it again, “how would you feel about Lucy becoming a part of the family.”

“I thought she already was,” Alex blurts. Her teeth click together when she snaps her jaw shut after realizing what she said, decides it wasn't wrong. “She _is_.”

Kara grabs her hand, shakingly pulls it against her cheek. There's a puff of laughter against her hand. “I knew you love her.”

Alex flicks a finger against Kara's cheek. “Whatever. She just helps keep you in line.”

Kara's smile doesn't diminish as she taps Alex's finger, “but I meant officially.”

“Oh.” Alex blinks. “ _Oh_.”

“Yeah. _Oh_.”

Her jaw feels like it won't work, slow and heavy and _oh_. “You mean like . . .”

Kara scratches at the front of the notebook, “I was asking if there-if there was anything on Krypton to- I mean, when you wanted to ask-”

“-you want to marry Lucy?”

Kara's eyes are bright and shiny, and oh, she's tearing up. “I thought we already covered that.”

“You want to marry Lucy.”

“ _Alex_.”

“Sorry, sorry. You just drop this on me and think I won't need a minute?”

Kara touches her chin thoughtfully, “It's been two minutes at least.”

“Maybe to you.” Alex scrubs at her face tries not to think of a young girl running along the beach, of watching her walk off to college, of her donning the cape for the first time. Sees the woman by her side. She swipes under her eye, ignores Kara's grin. “Okay, okay. How are you doing this?”

“Dunno.”

“Oh my god, _Kara_. That- shouldn't you be thinking something?”

Kara lets go of her hand, presses her own together. “So you think I should?”

“Should what?”

Kara snorts. “You're not keeping up today.” Kara straightens her shoulders, “That I should ask Lucy.”

“It's not everyday your sister asks for proposal advice,” she whispers, “and yes, I do.” A weight drops on her shoulder, Kara looking up at her, “I really do.”

“You think,” Kara's voice gets small, “You think she'd say yes?”

“You mean after she stops crying like a baby?” Kara huffs, and Alex dips her head down to press her cheek against Kara's temple, “There's no way she'd say anything else.”

Kara's smile is blinding. “You'll help me, right?”

“Of course.”

(They stay there for the rest of the day. Asking question after question to Alura. Until there's more silence than questions. Until Kara's staring at the AI- at _Alura_ with haunted eyes that beg for anything- about to ask questions that Alex knows it can’t answer.)

Kara stops in front of her as they’re walking out, stretches out her arms until she’s pulled into an embrace that feels tight and desperate and a lot like love. “You know I’ll always need you, right?”

“Yeah.” Alex looks over Kara’s shoulders, sees Lucy stomping towards them, “ _except_ right now, because I have to- _wow_ , look at the time.” Alex pats Kara twice on the back, “Nice knowing you.”

“What are you-oh, oh no.”

(She tries to run, she does.

The only reason she stops when Lucy growls their names is _not_ because she’s afraid or anything. Lucy just happens to know where she lives, and she sort of likes, y’know _living_ , so really, it seems like the best option.

It seems like a really stupid option when all Kara has to do is smile, and Lucy seems to forget her anger. She finds it all when Lucy looks towards her, asks why didn’t she tell her where Kara was.

Kara takes a few slow steps towards Lucy until the two of them are leaning towards her like a united front as if _she’s_ in trouble, and oh, Kara’s a _traitor_. Has been from the very start.

She doesn’t really mind it though, because her sister?

She’s the happiest she’s ever been. And so is her friend.

And when looking at the two of them, she can’t help but think there’s not much she wouldn’t do to make sure it stays that way.)


End file.
